The former Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has defended the decision by some New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) to report to Parliament six hours before the commencement of the first sitting of the House.
According to the MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency, it is normal for MPs to be in the House as early as 4:am.
“Your producer asked me to step out at 7:15 am to join you for an interview. My office is just by the Chamber block and I am in the Chamber building. Some of our colleagues were here as early as 4:am and for some of us, it’s our regular time coming in here,” he said.
His comment follows media reportage of some NPP MPs sleeping in the Chamber to avoid losing their seats at the right-hand side of the Speaker.
The members, numbering about 70 and anticipating a repeat of a similar strategy by the National Democratic Congress caucus, got social media buzzing with pictures of some sleeping in the Chamber.
But speaking on the ‘AM Show’ on JoyNews, Friday, Mr Oppong Nkrumah insisted that the NPP is not intimidated since the caucus is clear on its majority status.
“The point is that, we are clear in our minds that our colleagues on the other side are electing to resort to unparliamentary behavior in an attempt to undermine us.
“And our colleagues are very clear that they would no longer countenance unparliamentary behaviour and that’s why you noticed that as early as 4:am, some were already in the Chamber,” he said.